A widower who was raised to believe in propriety above all falls hopelessly in love with someone who is completely wrong for himat least by the standards of his small english village. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone looking for an excellent light summer read. Among them is major ernest pettigrew retired, the unlikely hero of helen simonsons wondrous debut. So, i picked up the audio book to listen to while i putter around town sans kids. What sets this book apart is the brilliant writing. Major pettigrews last stand this dryly delightful debut novel is the most endearing love story ive read in a long time. Mary, england, until his brother s death sparks an unexpected friendship with mrs. This novel is, essentially, a love story between a 68year old retired major ernest pettigrew and a 58year old pakistani shop keeper mrs. Mary, england, until his brothers death sparks an unexpected friendship with mrs. This dryly delightful debut novel is the most endearing love story ive read in a long time. A version of this article appears in print on march 7, 2010, page 16 of the. Readers will enjoy white teeth and major pettigrews last stand for their character development and humor, along with lighthearted treatment of serious topics such as race relations, religious fanaticism, selfunderstanding, and similar aspects of modern english life.
Major pettigrews last stand by helen simonson goodreads. Mar 17, 2011 major pettigrew s last stand was a pretty interesting discussion book and i do think most book clubs would find plenty to discuss. May 07, 2014 major pettigrew s last stand by helen simonson. Grief is what it took to make the rigidly correct major notice mrs. Major pettigrews last stand reading group choices book. The crazy great aunt with the knitting needles stabbed amina, and abdul wahid ran away with herthe crazy aunt, that is. As with the polished work of alexander mccall smith, there is never a dull moment. Feb 22, 2010 that major pettigrews last stand opens at a moment of heartbreak has no sobering effect whatsoever. Major pettigrews last stand was a pretty interesting discussion book and i do think most book clubs would find plenty to discuss. Handpicked recommendations to other books that have a similar writing style or theme to major pettigrew s last stand. Jasmina ali, the pakistani shopkeeper from the village. A while back a woman came into the store looking for some georgette heyer books.
Major pettigrew s last stand summary major pettigrew s last stand. Buy a cheap copy of major pettigrew s last stand book by helen simonson. First impressions in major pettigrews last stand can be deceiving. Major pettigrews last stand summary major pettigrews last stand. Old spinsters run the gardening clubs and book clubs. Everyone is in everyone elses business and gossips about whoever is not there. Major pettigrews last stand is a lovely book, funny and poignant and i am pleased to report, a happy one too featuring a love story between two middle aged characters and their internal struggle to not only accept that they are falling in love again but also all the external implications of their affair. The major struggles to find footing in his relationship with his adult son, roger. Major pettigrews last stand succeeds in showing the depth behind the veneer.
Major pettigrews last stand books richard and judy. May 25, 2011 major pettigrew s last stand by helen simonson, 9781408809556, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Mar 07, 2010 helen simonsons first novel, major pettigrews last stand, may dutifully tick all those boxes, but its not just a simple reworking of a muchloved but faded literary standby. Major pettigrews last stand by helen simonson book club. I had never heard of major pettigrews last stand when it. Major pettigrews last stand by helen simonson, 9781408809556, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Their stories, set against the backdrop of village life, foster tenderness toward each of these characters who charmed me all the way through the book, and beyond. A riveting, potentially redemptive story of modern american suburbia that reads almost like an ancient greek tragedy. She also made a madeira cake with jam and grilled peaches. Recommending new books each month to spark lively conversation. Helen simonson clearly has a talent for crafting prose. Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this major pettigrews last stand study guide and get instant access to the following summary.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading major pettigrews last stand. Goodreads members who liked major pettigrews last stand also. A novel by helen simonson is a work of fiction and the author s debut novel. By using our website you agree to our use of cookies. Major pettigrews last stand, however, proves that any book about any subject matter or any type of characters can become a great experience if written well. Major pettigrews last stand by helen simonson random. Major pettigrews last stand by helen simonson librarything. Unfortunately, we didnt have any in the store shame on us, so i started hunting around for some readalikes. Simonson paints a gorgeous picture of small village england and the people that live there. The real pleasure of this book derives not from its village conventions but from its. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, the major and mrs. Major pettigrews last stand is a best book club book for discussion about two figures drawn together by their love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses. Major pettigrews last stand, by helen simonson the.
I loved the oldfashioned romance, the tension between the generations and cultures, and a storyline where love triumphs. Major ernest pettigrew retired lives in the charming english village of edgecombe st mary. Find books like major pettigrews last stand from the worlds largest community of readers. Major pettigrews last stand book johnson county library. The story details the life of major ernest pettigrew, a 68 year old widower living in edgecomb st.
You can almost smell the road, the tea, the wet earth after a rainstorm. Part cultural commentary, part love story, the book is full of unforgettable characters whose charm will quickly win readers over. Major pettigrews last stand is a charming little love story about a man dealing with conflicts everyone deals with as they ageold age vs. Welcome to edgecombe st mary, a small english village filled with rolling hills and thatched cottages. Major pettigrews last stand is a delightful book with a large cast of characters, many who gain insight into aspects of their own personalities andor that of. Written with a delightfully dry sense of humour and the wisdom of a born storyteller, major pettigrews last stand explo.
Courting curmudgeons, wayward sons, religion, race and real estate in a petty and picturesque english village, major pettigrew s last stand is surprisingly, wonderfully romantic and fresh. Major pettigrews last stand is refreshing in its optimism and its faith in the. That major pettigrews last stand opens at a moment of heartbreak has no sobering effect whatsoever. Major ernest pettigrew retired leads a quiet life in the village of st.
Both are set in sussex, england, where i lived as a teenager. On the first page of the first chapter of her first novel, major pettigrews last stand, helen simonson invites her readers to experience love at. Major pettigrews last stand helen simonson, author. Unsentimental, intelligent, and warm, this endlessly amusing comedy of manners is the best first novel ive read in a long time. I am helen simonson, author of the new york times and international bestseller, major pettigrews last stand and now the proud author of a second novel, the summer before the war. The food for major pettigrews last stand book club. A novel by helen simonson is a work of fiction and the authors debut novel. If major pettigrews last stand is any indication, readers will enjoy simonsons writing for many years to come.
Start your 48hour free trial to unlock this major pettigrew s last stand study guide and get instant access to the following summary. Helen simonsons major pettigrews last stand the new. Major ernest pettigrew retd is not interested in the frivolity of the modern world. Major pettigrews last stand and book club to go youtube. The cover drew me to it, and i read it in a matter of a couple of days. Helen simonsons first novel, major pettigrews last stand, may dutifully tick all those boxes, but its not just a simple reworking of a muchloved but faded literary standby. Helen simonsons major pettigrews last stand the new york times. Here is the recipe our hostess, gail, used to make the chicken tikka masala from. Major pettigrews last stand by helen simonson, paperback. The only drawback i can see is that when there is a book that everyone loves, it s sometimes hard to get a good discussion going. Alexander mccall smiths most recent book is the double comfort safari club. Written with sharp perception and a delightfully dry sense of humour, major pettigrews last stand is a heart warming love story with a cast of unforgettable characters that questions how much one should sacrifice personal happiness for the obligations of family and tradition buy the book. Major pettigrews last stand is the first novel of britishborn american author, helen simonson. Mar 09, 2010 a riveting, potentially redemptive story of modern american suburbia that reads almost like an ancient greek tragedy.
Mary, a small village in the english countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading major pettigrew s last stand. A charming sense of humour is an excellent addition. When the whitmans, a nouveau riche white family, move into a sprawling, newly built house next door to valerie alstonholt, a black professor of forestry and ecology, and her musically gifted, biracial 18yearold son, xavier, in a modest, diverse north carolina neighborhood of. There major ernest pettigrew retired leads a quiet life valuing the things that englishmen have lived by for generations. Major pettigrew s last stand helen simonson, 2010 random house 384 pp. Major pettigrews last stand is a heartwarming, humorous and charming crosscultural love story.
Its funny all the different things people will take away from one good book. Since his wifes death, he has tried to avoid the constant bother of the village women, his ambitious son and the suburbanisation of the english countryside. Major pettigrews last stand by helen simonson l summary. There is all the insularity and peculiarity of living in close quarters with a few families. The cops believe that abdul wahid may have played a part in it, but the major and jasmina know hed never hurt her. I saw this book on a small bookstore in chester, vt. Some six years after the death of his wife nancy, it takes. Handpicked recommendations to other books that have a similar writing style or theme to major pettigrews last stand. Apart from the wonderful characters and storyline, the book was so beautifully written. Discuss the progressions of the characters you feel changed the most from the beginning of the book to the end.
Major pettigrew s last stand is a best book club book for discussion about two figures drawn together by their love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses. Major pettigrews last stand book midcontinent public. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. In the outset of major pettigrews last stand, the major is described as feeling the weight of his age, but on page 320, the morning after his romantic evening with mrs. Read major pettigrews last stand a novel by helen simonson available from rakuten kobo. Major pettigrew s last stand, however, proves that any book about any subject matter or any type of characters can become a great experience if written well. Its all about intelligence, heart, dignity and backbone. Jan 04, 2011 major pettigrew s last stand is a heartwarming, humorous and charming crosscultural love story. Youll laugh, youll wipe away a tear or two and you certainly will enjoy time spent with major pettigrew. Written with sharp perception and a delightfully dry sense of humour, major pettigrew s last stand is a heart warming love story with a cast of unforgettable characters that questions how much one should sacrifice personal happiness for the obligations of family and tradition buy the book.
Courting curmudgeons, wayward sons, religion, race and real estate in a petty and picturesque english village, major pettigrews last stand is surprisingly, wonderfully romantic and fresh. Among them is major ernest pettigrew retired, the unlikely hero of helen simonson s wondrous debut. Ali at colonel prestons lodge, simonson writes that a pleasant glow, deep in his gut, was all that remained of a night that seemed to have burned away the years from his back. And major pettigrews last stand certainly does not disappoint. Major pettigrew s last stand helen simonson, author. May 14, 2014 major ernest pettigrew retired leads a quiet life in the small rural english village of edgecombe st mary where he values the proper things that englishmen have treasured for generations honour, duty, decorum and a properly brewed cup of tea. Jan 24, 2011 major pettigrews last stand is a lovely book, funny and poignant and i am pleased to report, a happy one too featuring a love story between two middle aged characters and their internal struggle to not only accept that they are falling in love again but also all the external implications of their affair. In her witty and wise debut novel, newcomer helen simonson introduces the unforgettable character of the widower major. Mary, a small village in the english countryside filled with rolling hills, thatched cottages, and a cast of characters both hilariously original and as familiar as the members of your own family. With courting curmudgeons, wayward sons, religion, race, and real estate in a petty and picturesque english village, major pettigrews last stand is surprisingly, wonderfully romantic and fresh. The only drawback i can see is that when there is a book that everyone loves, its sometimes hard to get a good discussion going. All the characters, but particularly major pettigrew and mrs ali, were so full of life and as i read more and more i became quite invested in the story. Major pettigrew s last stand is a delightful book with a large cast of characters, many who gain insight into aspects of their own personalities andor that of others.
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